The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its agendas seem to have caught the imagination of youths in other parts of the nation as well.

After its spectacular success in Delhi, the AAP is now attracting budding managers from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).

"Yes, we do have some students from IIMA joining us," said Sukhdev Patel, the AAP's Gujarat unit president.

"We are a very young party and still in a process of putting right people in right places in the party structure," he said, adding that the response to AAP's style of functioning among people has been very encouraging in the state.

Spokesperson for AAP's Gujarat unit Harshil Nayak has also confirmed the frequent visits of some IIMA students to the party's office.

"AAP's clout among IIMA students and professors is growing after its success in Delhi," Nayak said. Delving into politics has not been something new for the students or the faculty of IIMA.

The premier institute has seen its professor Abhishek Misra joining the Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Also, several IIMA students have done their internship under senior politicians like Sitaram Yechury.

"There is a growing interest among IIMA students and professors in AAP and there are people who have been supporting the party by contributing funds to it," said Utsuk Srivastava, a second year IIMA student said.

Youth: A young Arvind Kejriwal (second from right) gorges on food at a party

Kejriwal (centre) pictured at a wedding

Utsuk, an AAP member since the party's state unit inception, said while a few students have become the party members, many of their professors help them in party activities, and their number is growing gradually.

"Around four students have already become AAP members and are actively working for it in the run-up to the 2014 general elections," he said.

Share this article

"Though the party's poll activities in Gujarat are at a very nascent stage, they are gaining pace after its triumph in the Delhi Assembly polls," he said.

For the record, the AAP has already decided to field its candidates from 25 out of 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat.

Talking about his experience with the party, Utsuk said there are some fundamental differences in ways of engagement of management professionals with regard to AAP and other parties.

Strategy: AAP workers in Gujarat meet at the party headquarters in Ahmedabad

"In the case of other parties, resources are never an issue. We have hardly any resources and need to identify ways to get resources to begin with, and then use it the optimal way," he said, adding: "We need to plan and file RTI queries in an attempt to identify problems that plague Aam Aadmi (common man).

"The queries will then go to the party's active members who will identify the issues at the grass-root level."

On the operational side, Utsuk said the party has created group email ids and online groups to share information and do data collection.

"This is where a professional becomes helpful as they are more coolheaded in such work," he said.

In Delhi, an AAP spokesperson said the party office receives communications from students across the country, expressing their willingness to work for the party.

Senior IAS officer Rajendra Kumar is known for his work in education

Tipped to become Kejriwal's key aide

Senior IAS officer Rajendra Kumar is all set to be appointed as the principal secretary in the Delhi chief minister's office.

The 1989 batch IAS officer, who is currently Secretary of the Higher education department in the Delhi government, is known for his work in the education sector.

Kumar was transferred from the Transport department after the December 16 gang-rape in 2012. He was transferred in the wake of sharp criticism against the Department's failure to regulate public transport in the city.

Kumar was removed from the post three months after he assumed the charge of the Transport department. Known as an upright officer, Kumar completed his B Tech (Electrical) from IIT Kanpur in 1988 and then got his Masters degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management, Manila.

Next Delhi CM is Siwani's pride

Siwani in Haryana's Bhiwani district is like any other north India town with its dusty roads, congested bylanes and smoke billowing vehicles. But the locals are proud that Arvind Kejriwal, the next Delhi chief minister, was born in this very town over four decades ago.

"With the kind of success he has witnessed in Delhi, I am sure he will become the prime minister of the country and will do great work for Haryana. He was born in this house, but his parents moved to Sonepat 25 days after his birth," Kejriwal's uncle Murari Lal said.

Kejriwal has not visited Siwani for many years and, according to his relatives, his hometown will have to wait for few more months due to his busy schedule.

Roots: Kejriwal's uncle Murari Lal (left) and aunt Ram Dulari (right) at the house where he was born

His aunt Ram Dulari remembers Kejriwal as a child who was in love with his books.

"Simple living and high thinking - this is Arvind. He was always busy with his studies. He has been the simple child with no specific choices, be it food or clothing," she recollected.

Kejriwal has at least 20 relatives staying at Siwani Mandi, most of them earn their living through the food grain business.

Now that they and other residents have seen Kejriwal don the role of a crusader, their hopes are pinned on him for changing the quality of their lives.

Many problems persist in the area, but there is no one listening to the woes of the locals.

Support: School friend of Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal, Rajesh Kedia is elated at the AAP's success

'I know he will do something extraordinary'

A schoolmate and a close friend of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal, Rajesh Kedia, cannot stop smiling.

He is elated at the astounding success of his friend in the Delhi Assembly elections.

Recalling his schooldays when both of them used to return home in the same school van, Kedia said: "We had a wonderful time in school. He was a fine orator and used to take part in debates, especially on social issues. I had sensed it then that Arvind would do something out of the box."

Kedia studied with Kejriwal for two years in BRJD Public School in Siwani. According to Kedia, Kejriwal's areas of interest were scouts and guides, speeches, poems, parade and stage activities.

"His leadership qualities were evident even when he was in Class VII. He was eloquent on stage, but otherwise spoke very less," said Kedia, who is currently the director of a firm - Jai Bharat Gum and Chemical Ltd - in Siwani Mandi.

Kedia said he always knew there's an activist in Kejriwal who wants to work for change.

Maths teacher says he can solve India's problems

Her wish is not driven by some angst against corruption or inflated electricity bills but by an emotional urge to congratulate her favourite student for the good work that he has been doing in the national Capital.

Origins: Kejriwal went to Campus School in Hisar

Kaker, a retired teacher from Campus School in Hisar, taught Kejriwal mathematics and physics in school in 1982.

She remembers him as a thin and shy boy who was very good in academics.

"Three years ago he came to Hisar to deliver a lecture on RTI Act. I went to listen to his lecture and to meet him. But he was surrounded by so many people that I could not reach him. I returned home disappointed that day. Now I think it will be more difficult to meet him now," said Kaker.

The teacher who taught Kejriwal how to solve the trickiest of mathematical problems never thought the young boy will grow up to become a politician and solve people's problems.

"When I listened to him, I was surprised because I never thought he could deliver such a lecture. He was a very shy student though he took part in school debates," she said.

Kejriwal studied in Campus School for over two years and passed his matriculation exam from there.

"He was an outstanding student and wanted to learn more. When his mother used to come for parent-teacher meeting, I used to ask her what she fed Arvind that made him so intelligent," said Kaker.

"I always thought he would engage in some literary work. I never thought he would become a politician. He never quarrelled with any schoolmate. Argument was out of his orbit," she said.

Kaker said she wishes Kejriwal rises as a politician and expressed her wish to meet him sometime.

"I want him to read this and know that his teacher remembers him a lot. I am very happy that he has changed the face of Indian politics," said Kaker.